Roger Harding
rogercharding.bsky.social
Roger Harding
@rogercharding.bsky.social
Lover of all things natural history, particularly orchids, butterflies, birds.
Also, travelling to photograph them.
Play harmonica and poker and love whisky
Reposted by Roger Harding
The most vibrant Goblet Waxcaps I’ve ever seen, in Dorset 🧡❤️ #Fungi #Mushrooms
November 18, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Indeed it is.
I can barely contain my excitement.
Indeed. Many thanks, Roger.

Orchid season is fast approaching........
November 18, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Yet you still had time for your
#AnOrchidADay
Respect!
🙏
I was out the door at ten past six and at the gym by twenty five past.
First frost of the winter, but the sliver of the waning crescent moon in the south east was magical to see.
November 18, 2025 at 1:55 PM
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It's not just butterflies that feature on our Butterflies of the Spanish Pyrenees tour. Our local naturalists, Peter Rich & Pau Lucio, are no one-trick ponies - they know their other wildlife too, and will be pointing out birds, moths, orchids et al!

www.mariposanature.com/tours/butter...
November 18, 2025 at 9:11 AM
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Tricholoma sulphureum, the Sulphur Knight. It used to be referred to as the Gas Works Mushroom because of its unpleasant smell, but that just seemed to attract this fly (anyone know what it is?) Deciduous woodland, New Forest. #fungi #NewForest
November 17, 2025 at 3:54 PM
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And naturally, like ALL of our butterfly tours, this one generates a donation to support the crucial conservation work of the brilliant team @europebutterfly.bsky.social, who work tirelessly to help some of the most threatened #butterflies across Europe. (3/3)

www.mariposanature.com/tours/butter...
November 17, 2025 at 8:39 AM
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A mouth-watering range of butterflies may be seen during the tour, including some of the most iconic species found in Europe, and some Pyrenean specialities too.

A guaranteed departure on 2-9 July, your leaders will be knowledgeable local naturalists Peter Rich & Pau Lucio. (2/3)
November 17, 2025 at 8:36 AM
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Good morning and welcome to a new week!

Our featured Spanish tour this week is Summer Butterflies of the Spanish Pyrenees, a tour that offers guests an unrivalled immersion into the outstanding and dramatic butterfly diversity of the Pyrenees. (1/3)

mariposanature.com/tours/butter...
November 17, 2025 at 8:34 AM
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It seemed ambitious to try for a coastal #thewinter10 but I was surprised what was still in flower. Everything photographed at Cogden Beach (part of Chesil Beach) this weekend. See ALT text #wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 8:02 PM
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In addition to the 50+ species of orchids we regularly find for our guests on our Orchids of Rhodes tour, the ultimate orchid experience on the island, we also make a point of seeking plants with curious colour and pattern variations. Variety is good!

mariposanature.com/tours/botani...
November 15, 2025 at 10:27 AM
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Coppers may be pennies from heaven, but we know the pounds count too - which is why our Early Bird booking discount offers £150 off the cost of any of our week-long tours in 2026 if booked before 1 December.

All our tours, and availability, are here:

www.mariposanature.com/calendar
November 14, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Reposted by Roger Harding
This Beech tree may be dead, but it’s far from lifeless!! What an amazing array of fungi (and slime moulds) found on just one log. See ALT text for some attempted IDs. #fungi #NewForest 12/11/25
November 14, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Reposted by Roger Harding
Artomyces pyxidatus (crown-tipped coral fungus), I think. On a large rotting Beech trunk, yesterday in the New Forest. #fungi #NewForest #FungiFriends
November 13, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by Roger Harding
For #AnOrchidADay:

The unusual for of Bee #Orchid that has appeared every year in Dover since 2018. This is from that forst season.
November 13, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Reposted by Roger Harding
...and, of course, like all of our orchid holidays, this one generates a donation to @bsbibotany.bsky.social. From our very first orchid tour, we've donated to support the superb, proactive conservation research and work BSBI, its staff, and its generous volunteers perform every single year. (3/3)
November 13, 2025 at 8:32 AM
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Sardinia, known as the jewel of the Mediterranean, is home to a jewel-box of #orchids, with a marvellous array including endemic and near-endemic species. Places remain available to join Michele Viganò there next April - the tour's a guaranteed departure... (2/3)

mariposanature.com/tours/botani...
November 13, 2025 at 8:26 AM
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Orchid tour update. 🚨

As of this morning, Late Spring Orchids of Sicily is now fully booked next year, joining Orchids of the Gargano in that status, and just leaving Orchids of Sardinia as our only Italian orchid tour with remaining 2026 availability... (1/3)

@bsbibotany.bsky.social #orchids
November 13, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Reposted by Roger Harding
Our flagship Orchids of Rhodes tour, the ultimate exploration of the island's orchids, provides lots of inspiration for our guests & leaders alike!

The 2027 tour with Jon & @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social as your friendly, knowledgeable leaders is already half-full...

mariposanature.com/tours/botani...
November 11, 2025 at 7:19 AM
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Snowy Waxcaps on a piece of former industrial land on the outskirts of Port Talbot, South Wales. I love watching these places revert to nature ! #fungi #fungifriends
November 9, 2025 at 11:05 AM
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A Green-winged orchid rosette (Anacamptis morio) survives on what's left of Dawlish Warren Point after the autumn storms. 8/11/2025
November 9, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Reposted by Roger Harding
Ophrys lindia and Ophrys eptapigiensis from this year's @mariposanature.bsky.social Orchids of Rhodes tour that, as usual, I co-led with my good friend @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social. Just two of the many rarities we saw that week - we know the island's secret places and hidden taxa treasures intimately.
November 9, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Reposted by Roger Harding
Pink Waxcap (Porpolomopsis calyptriformis) - At least twice the usual number of mushrooms pushing their way up through the dead bracken alongside the wood-rushes 🩷🌿 #Fungi #FungiFriends #Mushrooms
November 5, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Reposted by Roger Harding
Many of our butterfly tours, like this week's featured tour of the week, Spring Butterflies of Central & Northern Spain, also encounter #orchids. Always a happy find, nobody's day was ever made worse by seeing one of these beauties!

mariposanature.com/tours/butter...
November 5, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Reposted by Roger Harding
Tiny earpick fungus on a pine cone.
#fungifriends
#mushroommonday
#mycology
November 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Until recently I used to do my own thing chasing orchids around Europe.
Then I did the Rhodes trip with #Mariposa_Nature
The quantity and variety of orchids found by #thenewgalaxy and #dunnjons were amazing.
Subsequently I've booked 2 in the past year and 3 for next year.
Do it!
An update to the update...

Our Orchids of Rhodes tour for 2027, the ultimate exploration of the island's #orchids with two of Europe's keenest orchid-hunters, is now half full!

Six places remain to book to join us, but we don't anticipate those remaining available for long...
Finally, our flagship Orchids of Rhodes tour in 2026 has been fully booked for 6 months now.

🌼 However, Orchids of Rhodes 2027 is available to book, and is already nearly half full.

We're proud to be the first choice for orchid-hunting holidays. (3/3) #orchids

mariposanature.com/tours/botani...
November 4, 2025 at 5:23 PM